We Say: This is the cruiser for couples who’ve tired of managing big boats. Its cozy main cabin offers dinette seating and galley facilities including a refrigerator and sink, and when hooked up to shore power or using the inverter, you can use the microwave. If you’d rather prep meals on the aft deck, there’s a Kenyon grill under a central transom hatch and a livewell under that.
Seating inside and out abounds, but the foldaway transom and portside gunwale seat add versatility to this fishable pocket cruiser.
Since it is a pocket cruiser, it must have an adult-size full V-berth, and this one did boast one comfortable enough for two. The surprise though is the head compartment with toilet and shower.
The boat is a performer too. First, it has a double-stepped hull with reverse chines, which adds ventilation to the bottom, reducing drag and improving the 300 hp outboard’s performance. Even more interesting is what Cutwater calls “laminar flow interrupters” at the bow, near the thruster — and yes, this vessel was blinged up with a thruster to make any port an easy mooring. The interrupters, however, which are silver-dollar-size divots in the hull, break surface suction for smooth, positive cornering.
This cruiser offers all the benefits of home, and it’s trailerable.
Who’d Want One: Adventurers who want the performance of a runabout with the liveaboard capabilities of a compact, trailerable cruiser.
Another Choice: The Jeanneau NC 795 is a natural matchup, boasting similar accommodations, power and a bow thruster. The Ranger Tugs R-23 is another option worth a peek.
Bottom Line: $119,937 (base for East Coast version); cutwaterboats.com
How We Tested
Engine: 300 hp Yamaha
Outboard Drive/Prop: Saltwater Series II 151/4″ x 18″
Gear Ratio: 1.75:1
Fuel Load: 60 gal.
Crew Weight: 400 lb.
